


The Last Hope

by BambiReeds



Category: Naruto
Genre: Avatar!AU, avatar sakura
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-03
Updated: 2018-03-19
Packaged: 2019-03-26 10:33:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13855983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BambiReeds/pseuds/BambiReeds
Summary: Avatar Minato is dead.With the destruction of Uzushio, the elemental nations have been thrown into turmoil; the Fire Emperor's vicious reign and growing imperialism have left many without hope for future peace.That all changes when rumors begin to emerge... of a pink haired child with the ability to bend all four elements.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hi everyone! This story has elements of Avatar but set in the Naruto world, where bending kind of replaces jutsu lol. This will not follow the plot of either ATLA or LoK but will borrow some concepts to help build its own arc. Enjoy :)

_Fire. Earth. Water. Air. A long time ago, four independent nations lived together in relative peace with the Avatar, master of all four elements, keeping the balance. This all changed when disease and famine began to inexplicably ravage the nations. Konoha, Suna, Kiri, and Uzushio fell into war with one another in order to provide for their weakening populations. It wasn't until Avatar Minato Namikaze, an airbender from Uzushio, managed to do what no other avatar before him could. He brought the warring states together to create a unified federation, each sharing their knowledge, culture, and resources with one another resulting in an unprecedented era of peace. This prosperous period would bring a revival of the arts, an influx of migration amongst nations, and a surge of new technology and infrastructure to further connect the four nations._

_But the harmony would not last. Orochimaru of the legendary sannin, that trained Minato himself, would come to betray him. Working together with Madara Uchiha of Konoha, the two orchestrated an attack on Uzushio, leading to its complete destruction as well as the demise of Avatar Minato. The other nations, in fear of following the fate of Uzushio, swore loyalty to Orochimaru and the Uchiha. They would rule the lands with no mercy, monopolizing means of production and enslaving valuable benders._

_The death of Avatar Minato left a large spot to be filled and the world wondered when the next Avatar would emerge to bring peace and balance back to the world._

XxX

Kizashi Haruno wasn't exactly sure when he realized that his daughter was not... normal. Of course, she was always a precocious child, with a reading comprehension a little beyond that of a kid her age, but it wasn't until she was about three years old that he began to understand just how truly different she was.

"Sakura? Sakura, dear please come out here!" Kizashi called from their small backyard. A soft pitter patter of feet answered him, followed by a tentative "Yes, papa?"

"Sakura...what happened to your mother's flowerbeds here?" He asked, staring at the scorched earth where a garden once was.

A pause. Large green eyes peered up at him before they began to fill with tears. "Wahhhhhh!!! Papa I'm so so sorry I didn't mean to, it was an accident! I just wanted to pick flowers for Mama!" Sakura cried.

"Shhh, it's okay sweetheart, it's okay." Kizashi answered, crouching down to wrap his arms around his young daughter. "Just, please don't play with matches, you're too young to be playing with fire."

Sakura's sobs began to die down before she turned a confused gaze up to her father. "Matches? But papa, I didn't play with matches..."

Now it was Kizashi's turn to look confused. "What do you mean, sweetheart? Don't tell me you made a fire with your bare hands!" Kizashi laughed.

"But I did papa! Look!" Sakura reached down to grab one of the few remaining flowers between her tiny fist. She squeezed her eyes shut, as if to concentrate, and Kizashi watched dumbfounded as a small flame seemed to travel up the thin stem of the cosmos to engulf the entire flower, petal by petal, until only ash remained.

Kizashi could only look on, stunned. Him and his wife both came from a family of non-benders but it wasn't unheard of for a family of non-benders to produce an individual capable of bending. He forced a smile, "Wow! Would you look at that. My daughter, a bender!"

Sakura's shimmering eyes, so much like her mother's, beamed at him. "Really papa? You're proud of me?"

A bender meant military. A bender meant fighting. A bender meant fighting _for_ the Uchiha. Kizashi forced another smile, "Of course, dear. How could I be nothing but proud of you?"

Sakura let out a squeal and threw her arms around her father again while repeatedly stomping her feet in excitement. This time his smile became more genuine. So what? Sakura was a fire bender. It wouldn't be too bad, right? Maybe she could get a cushy position as a palace guard. Or better yet, become a bending instructor at the academy! Yeah. It wouldn't be all that bad.

Except... Sakura's stomping continued and with each stomp, small tremors rocked the earth beneath them. Kizashi could only gape wide eyed as thin fissures cracked along the ground, with his three year old daughter's tiny feet as the epicenter.

Oh. _Oh_. Kizashi thought. _This is very bad_.


	2. The Pink Haired Avatar

Mebuki's family immigrated from Uzushio to Konoha during the Age of Amity. Konoha didn't have Uzushio's wide rivers or rolling hills but Mebuki was equally entranced by the country's thick green forests and beautiful plains. It was in Konoha where her family settled to open a tea shop and restaurant, full of delicacies and recipes from their home country. It was in this tea shop where Mebuki first met Kizashi Haruno.

It was difficult not to notice him with his tall, burly build and eye catching hair style. Her interest was immediately peeked at the sight of his dusky pink hair, so like that of the Uzumaki's royal red yet so different. She was so distracted in fact, she nearly spilt scalding tea on his lap. While profusely apologizing, all Kizashi did was laugh good naturedly and assure her no harm was done. With just the flash of his smile and ridiculous hair, Mebuki had fallen.

The rest was history. They happily married and following her parent's passing, took over the tea shop. It was a simple life but a thoroughly content one. The arrival of their daughter was a welcome celebration, so soon after the fall of Uzushio, Mebuki was devastated to hear of the destruction of her home land but with the birth of her child it was as if spring had sprung into their lives.

And Sakura was truly the personification of spring, with her petal pink hair and green gaze she brought warmth and color with merely her presence. Sakura was the light of their lives and Mebuki would protect that light with everything she had.

So when Mebuki returned home one day to a burnt garden, cracks in the lawn, and a distraught husband, it became clear that although she and Kizashi would do everything in their power to protect Sakura, it might not be enough.

"What do you _mean_ she created a fire and an earthquake?" Mebuki asked her husband, who sat hunched over at their table with his hands in his hair.

"I _mean_ , she pick up a flower and it went 'bye bye!' Then she stomped her feet and the earth went 'boom boom!" Kizashi answered a bit deliriously, with wild hand gestures and a horribly inaccurate imitation of Sakura's voice.

"You saw this fire? Are you sure she didn't just learn a magic trick or something? Our daughter is pretty clever, you know." She laughed, clearly skeptical of her husband's account. "And how do you know it wasn't an actual earthquake that just happened to occur at the same time. We didn't feel it at the shop, but it's possible."

"This was no magic trick, Mebuki. This was bending." Kizashi said, his voice solemn and eyes unnaturally serious.

Mebuki pursed her lips, "So what? Our daughter can fire bend. It's not the end of the world but there's no way she could both fire bend and earth bend."

"Yes she could. If she was..." he trailed off, his voice barely a whisper.

Both knew exactly what was left unsaid. _If she was the avatar_. It seemed like a ridiculous thought, their smiley three year old daughter, the avatar? Please, it was absurd! Yet, a memory surfaced Mebuki's mind.

"There was this one time. I swear, I thought I was just reading too much into it. I was giving Sakura a bath and she spilt a bunch of water over the tub. I turned around to grab a towel to wipe it up but when I turned back around it was all...gone. She just giggled when I asked her about it and said she cleaned it up. I didn't question her but I knew something wasn't right. Maybe I knew then but didn't want to give the idea anymore thought. Gods, our Sakura..." Mebuki felt tears begin to sting the back of her eyes but fought them off. No. We must be strong for her.

Kizashi was quiet for a long time. He looked up at his wife, his own eyes shining with unshed tears. "We have to tell someone. She needs teachers, she has to learn how to control her bending."

"No. _No_." Mebuki shook her head. "They can't know. No one can know. They'll take her from us, the Uchiha will take her. They'll do god only knows what to her. Do you remember what happened to Avatar Minato? To Uzushio? They'll destroy her."

"We can't keep her hidden forever! We can't protect her here, not in Konoha. Are we supposed to wait until she creates a gust of wind and blows someone out a window?" Kizashi suddenly stood from his chair, tears breaking free from his eyes, leaving trails of salt down his ruddy cheeks.

Mebuki bit back her own sob, she was always the more level headed compared to her emotional husband. "Fine. Who do you have in mind?"

**XxX**

Kakashi Hatake was the pride of Konoha, just seventeen and already an esteemed general of the Allied Army. _His father would be proud_ some whispered. _That son of a traitor?_ others would say _he's got treason running through his veins._

Either way, everyone had an opinion on the legendary White Fang's son. At twelve years old he pioneered lightning bending, a never before seen form of fire bending. A prodigy from an early age, the beginning of his life was spent during times of peace, when the art of bending could be further explored. Of course, that all changed with the attack on Uzushio when the fighting broke out. It was said his father switched sides on the battle field, choosing to fight alongside his friend Avatar Minato and against the forces of his own people. That battle left Kakashi without a father and a mentor, forcing him to swear fealty to that slimey bastard Orochimaru and the late Madara Uchiha. It started to become clear to Kakashi himself that Orochimaru was the one pulling the strings with the Uchiha standing as a pretty figurehead. Not that he'd say so out loud though.

Adjusting his mask a little higher up his nose, Kakashi took a sip of his drink through the fabric. He just picked up a new book by Jiraya-sama earlier that day and while thumbing through the pages of _Icha Icha Paradise_ , Kakashi was grateful for his ever present mask that hid his blush. A firm hand clamped down on his shoulder, forcing Kakashi to glance up from his reading.

"Kakashi-kun! It's been so long, I swear you look more and more like your father every day." Ah, that's another thing people tend to say.

"Kizashi-san, its very good to see you. Your shop is still the best in Konoha." Kakashi replied with an eye crinkle, closing his book and slipping it in his pocket. Kizashi was a close friend of Sakumo Hatake and like most things that remind him of his father, is someone Kakashi tends to avoid.

Kizashi let out a hearty laugh. "Since when did you become such an ass kisser? Is that a prerequisite for working for the Uchiha, hm General Hatake?"

Kakashi smirked at that. It was true, Uchiha arrogance knew no bounds. "Something like that. How has business been? And how is Mebuki-san?"

The large smile on his face began to falter. He took the empty seat across from Kakashi and his smile returned. "A little slow lately but it should pick up soon enough. The wife is a little stressed with some things going on but overall fine."

"That's good to hear."

"Yes..." Kizashi's blue eyes suddenly steeled and his smile was replaced with a grim line. "There's actually something I wanted to ask of you Kakashi."

"What is it?"

"Our daughter, Sakura, has shown some aptitude for bending." He answered, the last word said with some hesitation.

"Really? Well I'm not a teacher so I'm not sure how I can help you there. Once she's enrolled in the academy I'm sure she'll find someone who can hone her talent." Kakashi answered, slightly confused as to why Kizashi thought to tell him this. He lifted his cup to his mouth, then asked. "What kind of bending?"

"Fire bending." A pause. He glances around the nearly empty tea shop before continuing. "Earth bending. And... water bending."

Kakashi stopped mid-sip and nearly choked on his tea. Kizashi reached over to pat his shoulder sympathetically, "That was my reaction too."

Clearing the rest of the coughs from his throat, Kakashi asked, "Why are you telling me this? Do you realize that as a General of the Allied Army it is my duty to report this?" Incredulous, he added. "They've been searching the fire country for years looking for the next avatar."

"Don't tell me you actually side with them? After what they did to your father? They called him a traitor but you and I both know he only did what was right." For such a usually warm and boisterous man, Kizashi's face looked so cold.

Kakashi racked his fingers through his hair, further disheveling the already unruly silver locks. The avatar. The reincarnation of Minato-sensei. Two sides warred inside of Kakashi, one side brought up with the strict adherence to rules, taught that there was no greater honor than to be loyal soldier and to defend the Uchiha. While the other side cried for revolution, cried for justice, cried for vengeance for Minato-sensei. For his _father_.

Kakashi let out a dejected sigh, his mind made up. "So when do I get to meet her?"

**XxX**

On the table sat a single match, a small cup of water, a balloon with the string anchored by a rock. Not exactly the most traditional means of determining the avatar but it'll have to do.

"Are we playing a game?" Kakashi regarded the little girl for the first time since he entered the room. Too big green eyes peered up at him eagerly, Sakura swaying side by side on the chair where she sat.

God, children made him uncomfortable. "Sure. You have to make each of these objects disappear. The rule is that you have to do so without touching them with your hands."

The girl cocked her head to the side and blinked at him. She kind of reminded him of his dogs just then. Maybe he could pretend she was a dog and this would go a little easier? Kids could be cute if they acted a little more like dogs."Without my hands?"

"No, without _touching_ them with your hands." Kakashi stressed. "Your parents told me you were smart."

She pouted at that while Mebuki cleared her throat, visibly irked at the comment. Kizashi smiled sheepishly. She looked pensive for a moment before nodding, "Okay."

She raised her tiny hands, holding them apart and balling her fists. Her brow scrunched a little and when she slammed her fists together the balloon popped. His mouth fell at that. Okay, well her mother was from Uzushio so it could be possible that she inherited some air bending from someone along the line? That train of thought died when she lifted her hands a little higher and with it, the small rock rose from the table. She unclenched her fist by a fraction but with a sudden squeeze, the rock was obliterated into dust.

He could hear an intake of breath from one of her parents but his eyes were all on Sakura, who lifted a finger and the match was suddenly aflame and just as quickly as it was lit, was burnt to a crisp. Finally with slightly more gentle hands, the water surged from the cup and swirled into the air. Sakura opened her mouth and swallowed the thin stream of water, as if all she wanted was a sip of water.

When the water was all gone, Sakura scanned the table, her brow wrinkled. "I didn't get rid of the string or the cup." She frowned.

Kakashi just stared, a mantra of _oh my god this little girl is the avatar._ Followed by _, oh my god the avatar has_ pink _hair_.

"It's okay, sweetheart! You did very good, you won the game!" Mebuki smoothed back Sakura's hair with an obviously strained smile.

"Really, mama? That was fun, could we play anoth-" her question was cut of by some sniffling. The moment seemed to play out in slow motion for Kakashi, one sniff, two sniff, followed by, "Ah-ah-chooooo!"

A powerful stream of air seemed to emerge from that single sneeze, causing both the string and the cup to fly off the table, smacking Kakashi square in the face. Suddenly off balance, the legs of his chair tipped over, sending him sprawled on the floor with a bang.

"Kashi-san!" Sakura cried, leaping from her chair to stand above him looking like some sick caricature of an angel. "I'm so sorry Kashi-san, dust makes my nose itchy! I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to."

With a sore head the mantra in Kakashi's mind continued. _Oh my god this little girl is the avatar. Oh my god the avatar has pink hair. Oh my god the avatar has pink hair and_ allergies _. Will she sneeze like that everytime she crushes a rock? Why couldn't the avatar be reincarnated into a dog?_

Life was never easy for Kakashi, so why would it start now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Introducing Sakura's first sensei! Hopefully a better teacher than in canon hehe. Let me know what you think and thanks for reading :)


	3. Of Defecting Generals and Drunken Sannin

About a year and a half passed with Sakura taking fire bending lessons from Kakashi. She was an excellent student: attentive, driven, and quick to catch on. Her control over her bending improved greatly since their training first began and the naturally aggressive approach to fighting she exhibited served well for firebending. But, the sloppiness she displayed when emotional could prove to be a problem of hers in the future. She also asked a little too many questions for his tastes and was a bit of a stickler for being on time but Kakashi learned to block out her screeches of " _ **LATE**_!!!" For the record, he was usually only an hour late opposed to his standard two hours and a half but does she appreciate it? _Noooooo_.

At their most recent session, she barely managed to dodge a swift burst of fire aimed at her head. Her hair was not so lucky.

"Mah, Sakura-chan, it's just hair. It'll grow back," Kakashi said, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. He was thankful for the nearby stream and her waterbending instincts for kicking in or else she'd be missing a lot more than just her hair.

Sakura sucked in a shaky breath and rubbed at her wet eyes, "My momma loves my hair. She says it's pretty," her voice began to wobble, "Even you have longer hair than me now!"

Ah, Kakashi should have known the day would come when his hair would inspire envy in a five year old. "There are more important things than looking pretty," Kakashi began, gently patting her slightly singed head, "Like being strong. And powerful."

She gazed up at him with watery eyes, "But can't I be all of that? I want to be strong, powerful, _and_ pretty."

 _She has a point_. "It shouldn't be your goal to look pretty because... you're already pretty," Kakashi added clumsily, "But being pretty doesn't protect your loved ones. Focus on your skills first and foremost."

With a final sniffle, a look of resolve took over her features, "You're right Kaka-sensei."

"Good. How about one more spar and you try to catch my hair so we can match?"

"You're on!" She giggled, jumping to her feet.

The session ended with slightly charred tips, another impromptu blast of waterbending, and complaints of his hair _still_ being longer than hers.

After dropping off the pink haired terror, Kakashi strolled slowly to his apartment with damp hair while he considered the current political climate. Lately, cabinet meetings have been focused on expanding settlements into Crescent Island, which has met strong resistance from the island's Kaguya warriors. Tensions have been rising between the Sabaku and the Uchiha over whose jurisdiction the island falls under and while it's historically and culturally closer related to Suna, Orochimaru had somehow convinced Fire Lord Fugaku that acquiring the island is in his best interest. Something that didn't make much sense to Kakashi, seeing as Crescent Island didn't have much going for it except for its giant elephant koi.

And of course, talks of the avatar's whereabouts have not ceased.

Technically, Kakashi has been living in treason the second he discovered the avatar's identity and didn't report it to headquarters. His first instinct upon meeting Sakura was to get her as far away from Fire Country as possible. Orochimaru had spies scattered across the elemental nations but to keep the avatar right under his nose in Konoha? It was either brilliant or exceedingly stupid. But the Harunos were adamant about staying in Konoha and, Mebuki especially, keeping Sakura with them. Lucky for them, no one besides high ranking officials knew of the ongoing search for the Avatar.

Many believed the avatar cycle ended with Avatar Minato, who was said to be killed while in the Avatar state. This rumor was perpetuated by the Uchiha and later the Hyuga, who quickly sided with Orochimaru after being placed as the ruling family of Kiri. Only the higher ups in the Allied Army were informed of Fire Lord Fugaku's search for the next avatar, which some chalked up to paranoia. Another rumor Kakashi himself believed had some merit. Well, that was until he met the pink haired three year old who literally knocked him off his ass with a sneeze.

His musings were cut short by an Anbu officer intercepting his path. "Hatake. Lord Orochimaru requests your audience immediately."

 _This can't be good_.

The Fire Lord's palace was a large, sweeping compound with multiple buildings connected under a high slanted roof. Dark wood paneled the floors and tall, imposing pillars lined each archway. The deep red walls would have made for a gloomy sight, especially paired with the near ebony floors, if it weren't for the high open windows that either filtered the palace with light or dusted it with shadows. The entire structure sought to impose and intimidate.

Kakashi entered the "throne room," which was pretty much another fancy room with a too long walkway that led to a huge, ostentatious chair. In it, sat someone who was more snake than man. Orochimaru's inky hair clung to the sides of his pasty, ashen face in greasy strands. His golden eyes were further accentuated by purple makeup; his pupils in perpetual slits that were meant to unnerve anyone who was unfortunate enough to stare into them.

"Kakashi-kun, so good of you to join me. And on time too! My, my aren't I lucky."

 _Yuck_. "I would hate to keep you waiting, Orochimaru-sama."

"I see you've had a little haircut. Looks nice."

Kakashi felt his skin crawl at the compliment. "Thank you, Orochimaru-sama. I thought it was time for some change. Will Lord Fugaku be joining us?" Man, did he hate formalities.

"No, no. I suggested he spend time with his family so I've been overseeing his duties for today," his eyes narrowed in on Kakashi, "But I am concerned. General Hatake, some of your... extracurricular activities have come my attention."

The general's body temperature seemed to drop, "Ah, my little hobby you mean. What can I say, the Icha Icha series is undoubtedly the greatest written work of our time. The riveting adventure, charming cast of characters, witty dialogue, and of course the spicy romance, Icha Icha is truly a literary masterpiece," he paused for a dramatic sigh, "There's a store called Pink on the east side of town that sells the books, I'm sure you'll be able to find them there."

There was a beat of silence before it was broken with the most harrowing laughter Kakashi had ever heard, "Oh, Kakashi-kun, I think you know what I'm talking about. One of my little birds told me of your young pink haired student. A skilled firebender they've reported to me," if possible his eyes narrowed even further, "who, today, seemed to show some talent for _waterbending_."

 _Shit_. Kakashi knew Orochimaru had Anbu spying on him, it seemed every high ranking officer had eyes on them since it became clear that the resistance had a mole working for them on the inside. He had told Sakura that their training sessions were strictly firebending and to not show any other kind of bending out in the open. Obviously, that changed today with the whole hair burning bit but Kakashi sincerely thought that after a year and a half they'd get the idea and leave them be.

But to be honest, Kakashi knew, deep down, they couldn't keep it hidden forever. They could only hide Sakura's identity for so long until something would slip and it'd all come crashing down on them. But he thought they had more time, for him to at least come up with a cohesive plan to get them out of this.

"Your source must be mistaken. There was a firebending accident and she just splashed some water from the stream to put it out."

"Is that so?" Something flashed in the sannin's yellow eyes that Kakashi didn't like at all. Without warning, he felt his entire body grow rigid. With some panic, he attempted to move his fingers but, to his growing horror, _they wouldn't even twitch_. He couldn't even blink his eyes. It was as if he was frozen solid or like the body he was in was not his own.

"What's wrong Kakashi-kun?" Orochimaru's thin lips twisted in a grotesque parody of a smile. "You look a little... _tense_." With that single word, a blood-curdling scream erupted from Kakashi's throat. Instantaneously, it felt like a million heated, jagged needles were impaled _deep_ into his body, grinding against his bones, and covering every square inch of his form. It was as if his insides were being boiled from within, threatening to rip out from underneath his skin. If it were physically possible, Kakashi would have fallen to his knees just from the sheer pain of it all.

"You _will_ bring the avatar to me," Orochimaru hissed, standing from his chair and stalking slowly over to the shaking general, "And you will _not_ speak of this to anyone. Do not try anything with me Kakashi or you will _regret it_." With that final word, the hold the sannin seemed to have on him evaporated. Kakashi collapsed to the ground, barely managing to hold himself up.

"Anbu. Escort General Hatake on his task. Make sure he doesn't leave your sight. You're both dismissed."

Kakashi distantly felt someone taking his arm and helping him to his feet. He glanced up and recognized a vaguely familiar mask as they exited the building, his arm still in a firm grasp.

**XxX**

Sakura chatted happily with her parents as they finished dinner. Her mother had nearly lost it when she came home with her newly shortened hair but had later calmed down. It was when papa mentioned Kakashi-sensei and their next training session that her mother's ire seemed to spring back to life.

"He could have killed you! He's supposed to be teaching you not setting you on fire!" Mebuki ranted.

"It's okay, mama, he didn't mean to. And I got to use my waterbending today! So it's really okay mama," Sakura tried to reassure her.

"It doesn't mean that he wasn't being irresponsible. Just look what he did to your hair!"

Sakura frowned. She self consciously put a hand to her hair, which was so short she could hardly run her fingers through it, "Do you think it's ugly?"

The furious expression on her mama's face seemed to dissipate into thin air, "Oh, of course not, honey! You could never look ugly, you're beautiful!"

"But it doesn't cover my forehead anymore..." Sakura trailed off, her hand sliding down to cover her brow, "Ami and her friends will have another thing to make fun of me for."

"They only tease you because they're jealous," Papa cut in, placing his chopsticks down, "They'll be eating their words once they find out you're the Avatar!" Papa joked, while Mama shot him an annoyed look.

Sakura didn't exactly know what it meant to be avatar. Of course, she's read about the past avatars and their accomplishments, how their purpose was to maintain peace between nations, but Sakura didn't understand where _she_ fit into all of that. More recent books claimed that the avatar cycle ended with Minato Namikaze, who some dubbed as the "Last Avatar." Other books stated that the avatar's function had proved useless in the end, and it was Lord Orochimaru and Madara Uchiha who achieved order by taking down Uzushio, a tyrannical city that planned to overthrow the other elemental nations. When Sakura showed that part of the book to Mama, she confiscated it and mumbled something about "propaganda."

So in truth, Sakura wasn't sure what her being Avatar entailed. She wasn't allowed to tell anyone about it, or use any of her powers besides firebending, so it just felt like she had some empty title hanging over her head that she had to keep secret; none of the hundreds of years worth of prestige or honor coming with it. All she knew was that it made her parents fight sometimes and her mama stare at her with this sad look in her eyes. How is she supposed to bring peace to the world when she can't even do that for her own family?

Before another fight could break out between her mother and father, a knock sounded at the door. Papa rose from the table to answer it and opened the door to reveal Kakashi-sensei standing there with a slightly shorter man wearing a white mask with a bunch of red and black markings on it.

"Kizashi-san, may we come inside?" The door closed behind them and Sakura could barely make out a couple of words from their quiet conversation. She could see her mother visibly tense from the corner of her eye. Mebuki stood and walked over to the three whispering men to join in on their hushed discussion.

The masked man removed his strange mask of a...bear? Dog? Sakura wasn't too sure but she thought he looked much better without it. Standing with Kakashi and her parents was a boy who couldn't be older than sixteen. He had curly black hair and a cute face with dark eyes that looked worried and a bit anxious.

Mebuki suddenly departed from the gathering and hurried down the hallway to Sakura's room. Curiosity and concern mounting, she slid from her chair at the table to slowly approach the group, "What's going on?"

Three sets of eyes shifted to her, then shared a sideways glance with one another. Sakura's father took a step forward and stooped down to her eye-level, his face uncharacteristically grim, "Sakura, there's been a slight...change in plans," he worded carefully then gestured to the unmasked boy, "this is Shisui-kun, him and Kakashi-sensei are going to help protect you from... a bad man."

"A bad man?" Sakura asked, confused.

"Yes, a _very_ bad man," Kakashi said, the boy named Shisui chimed in with, "Yup, _suuuuuper_ bad dude."

"Who's this bad man? What does he want?"

Kizashi turned his head slightly to share another look with the other two, then faced Sakura again, "Its Orochimaru. And he wants you."

"Me? What would he want with me?" She questioned further, "Is it... is it because of the whole," Sakura sent a glance at Shisui, before continuing in a hushed tone, "Avatar thing?"

Her father nodded solemnly, "I'm sorry, sweetheart. We never wanted this to happen, we-" he was cut off with what sounded like a choked sob. He used his hand to cover his mouth and squeezed his eyes shut.

Shisui stepped forward and said in a reassuring tone, "Don't worry, Haruno-san. We'll make sure no harm comes to your boy."

"I'm a girl," Sakura grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest in what she hoped looked like a threatening stance.

Shisui squinted at her for a second before laughing, "Oh shit! You are, haha! What the hell happened to your hair, squirt?"

Sakura answered that with a stomp of her foot. The ground directly beneath Shisui shifted, nearly knocking him off his feet.

Kizashi let out a watery laugh, wiping his eyes, "Sakura, what did we say about bending in the house?"

"Sorry, papa," she mumbled, not sorry at all.

Shisui fixed his footing, "Alright, alright, we get it, almighty avatar. But let's put a hold on the bendy bending until you're safe out of Konoha," he said, while patting Sakura's head nervously.

"Out of Konoha?" She asked, looking to her father, "We're leaving Konoha?"

Mebuki, who at some point reentered the room holding a small bag, spoke up, "No, baby. Just you."

"What? But what about you two?" Sakura looked back and forth between her parents, obviously distressed.

"Your family will be fine, Sakura," Kakashi cut in, "There will be people watching over them. No ones gonna hurt them as long as you get the hell out of Konoha and they don't find you."

"But..." she trailed off, her lip beginning to wobble.

"We'll be okay sweetheart," Papa rested his palm on Sakura's cheek, "Don't worry about us, just focus on getting stronger so you can come back home."

"But, but who's going to help pull weeds in the garden? And organize the tea leaves at the shop? And...and.. eat the anmitsu Papa makes that Mama doesn't like?" She rambled, tears flooding her eyes.

"Oh, Sakura," her mother crouched down beside Kizashi, "It'll be hard without your help but I promise that this is for the best. When you come back it'll be because the world is a better place and you'll be the one to fix it." Sakura was then enveloped in her mother's arms, her father joined in to hold them both. She suddenly felt lost, wondering what life could possibly be like without her mother's singing in the morning and her father's silly jokes. Her parents were a constant in her life, people that, as the Avatar, should be under her protection. And now she was running away, leaving them to be protected by strangers.

Sakura's mother broke away first, chasing a tear away with the back of her hand. Sakura would realize later that this would be the first time she saw her mother cry. Mebuki stood, handing the bag to Kakashi, as well as a long black cloak. He donned the coat, tucking the bag underneath.

Shisui started talking but Sakura could hardly listen over the thrumming of heart, "I'll take you guys to the western gates, they're going to to have a shift change in about 10 minutes so you'll be able to sneak out then. You'll have to move fast, no looking back," he paused, shoving his hand into his pocket to pull out a folded piece of paper. He handed it to Kakashi and continued, "We have a contact, they're in Tanzaku Quarters right now, you should recognize them, Kakashi. They'll be able to train Sakura and help keep her hidden until the time comes."

Kakashi pocketed the note and adjusted the cloak to cover the top of his head. He grabbed Sakura's hand and held her close, as if afraid she'd be taken away by just the slightest gust of wind, "We should leave now, we don't have much time."

Mebuki and Kizashi hugged Sakura one last time and with a kiss on her forehead, Mebuki whispered, "Be brave, my strong girl."

**XxX**

There was nothing like a bottle of warm sake to ease the sting of loss. Tsunade had nearly lost all of her money at the slot machines and if it weren't for Shizune's interference, something she'd never admit being grateful for, they wouldn't be able to afford dinner, let alone, a bottle of sake.

Tanzaku Quarters was a small village that sat on the outskirts of Fire, near the Suna border. Warm year round with seldom rain, it was a popular spot for tourists and anyone wishing to dabble in debauchery. With the holy trinity of women, gambling, and booze, Tanzaku was a hub for escape (in the literal and metaphorical sense.). They'd been in the town for a little over a week, longer than they usually linger but everytime Tsunade suggested moving on, Shizune would entice her with using up some of their savings and who was she to say no to another gamble?

"Tsunade-sama, I think you've had enough to drink," Shizune prodded gently, inching closer to grab the bottle out Tsunade's reach. Before she could even get her fingers in its vicinity, Tsunade swiftly plucked the bottle from the table and poured the remaining contents into her cup. They didn't call her a sannin for nothing.

Shizune grumbled something about not helping her out if she got alcohol poisoning but, other than that, allowed Tsunade to sip her sake in peace. Shizune ate her dinner quietly while chatter filtered in and out throughout the restaurant. Tsunade wondered if she would have better luck at a game of cards rather than the slots when a tall, lanky shadow fell over the table. She looked up and, for a moment, thought she was looking at the face of a ghost. The Hatake brat looked nearly identical to his father, minus the ridiculous mask.

"Tsunade-sama," he began, taking an empty seat across from her and Shizune, "I didn't think I'd ever see you again."

Tsunade barked out a laugh, "And I thought I'd never have to see another vermin from Konoha unless I was burying them underneath a boulder yet, _here we are_."

"I'm no longer with the Allied Army, I swear no allegiance to Konoha."

"How nice. Like father like son." Tsunade could see Kakashi stiffen at that. Good, maybe then the damn Hatake will learn what a losing battle looks like.

"Shisui Uchiha said we'd find a contact here. Someone that can help us. I assumed that was you," he said with a furrowed brow.

"Why the hell would I be consorting with any Uchiha?"

"Well, this Uchiha is apparently working with the resistance," he replied, scanning the room of the establishment. _Please_ , no one there cared enough to eavesdrop on their conversation, let alone, was sober enough.

"Good for him. Sounds like Konoha is swimming in traitors," Tsunade drawled, taking a sip from her glass.

Kakashi's jaw tightened and his eyes flickered to Shizune. His face relaxed minutely and stated quietly, "We have information on the Avatar."

"The Avatar is dead."

"Well yes, Avatar Minato is dead but the thing about avatars is that they tend to, ya know, reincarnate. That's kind of like... their thing."

"Don't get smart with me brat," Tsunade growled, downing the rest of her sake in one swig and slamming the glass on the table, "Such good the last one did us. Couldn't even protect his own home from that snake bastard and his gang of fire scum. Avatar, or no avatar, it doesn't really matter. There will still be crooks and cheats in power who want nothing but more power. Minato wanted everyone to hold hands and share their things like it was preschool or some shit. It was a pipe dream. Still is."

Before she could finally tell him to get lost, a small pink haired child she hadn't noticed before had somehow scrambled onto the table and stood on top of it with a resounding stomp. Tsunade was forced to look eye to eye with a very determined looking five year old.

"Tsunade-sama, I've read countless books about you and your heroics, you're the strongest earthbender the world has ever known. But I have to say that you... are a coward!" She could hear Shizune suck in a sharp intake of breath, "To see the world for all of its shortcomings while choosing to do nothing about it, is nothing but cowardly," the child shook their head, "To acknowledge its flaws and vow to do everything in your power to change them, that, is true bravery! My name is Sakura Haruno and _I am the Avatar_. I will not rest until I am strong enough to rid the world of tyranny, so I can protect those who cannot protect themselves."

There was a long stretch of silence before Tsunade broke it with, "Wait a second... Are you a girl?"

The kid turned a bright shade of red before screeching in a very high, very girlish voice, " _Yes, I'm a girl_!"

"Okay, jeez I was just asking a question," Tsunade attempted to hide her smirk, "shouldn't you two be looking for this contact of yours before you start going off on your self righteous avatar tirade?"

Kakashi dragged the seething child off the table and sat her down next to him like a little angry puppy. He then sent a pointed look to Tsunade's right but otherwise stayed quiet.

She turned to see Shizune with her head down and hands in her lap, "Shizune? You've been in contact with the resistance? Since when?"

Shizune's onyx eyes flicked to hers then back down, "I'm sorry for not telling you, Tsunade-sama. I've been in contact with them since the fall of Uzushio. Since Uncle Dan..."

She didn't have to say more for Tsunade to get the picture. Just the mention of her late lover's name was enough for Tsunade to suddenly feel sober. A torrent of emotions washed over her but none could match the tidal wave of overwhelming grief.

The defected general spoke up then, "Orochimaru discovered Sakura's identity and she only escaped because of the resistance's help. We've been traveling for two days straight now but there's been a number of officers sent after us," he explained, "We finally lost them yesterday but who knows when more will be sent."

Sakura looked between the two women, her large green eyes questioning, "Shisui-kun said you'd be able to train me."

"I can train you in waterbending," Shizune offered, "I'm not much of an offensive fighter but I'm one of the best healers the elemental nations has ever seen. And I'd be honored to train the avatar."

Sakura's face broke out in the largest grin she had ever seen. Then, three sets of eyes shifted to Tsunade at the same time, all communicating the same, wordless question.

"Alright, brat," Tsunade sighed, standing from her chair, "Let's see what you got."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Ta da! The third chapter! Thank you for the bookmarks & kudos, they truly make my day. Some people mentioned pairings and for now it's going to be a gen fic since they're so young but we'll have to wait and see how the relationships with develop as the story progresses :) Right now, anything is fair game! This took me longer than I would've liked and I'm still not entirely happy with it. I hope it didn't seem too rushed. In the next chapter we should meet Naruto and/or Sasuke! Thank you for reading and let me know what you think in the reviews :)


	4. Chapter 4

When it was first decided that Kakashi would be teaching Sakura to firebend, she was estatic. Firebending had come relatively easy to her and though she didn't have the best control over it, Sakura always derived a sense of satisfaction from the scorching heat that would warm her veins and the ruthless beauty of the flames. She could easily recall her first training session with Kakashi-sensei and her feelings of excitement to finally practice her bending with an expert.

 _"Fire is the element of power. You cannot hesitate with fire, or you_ will _get burned," Kakashi lectured to his student who sat cross legged in front of him, "You must treat fire as an extension of your body, not a means to an end. Do you know where a firebender draws their power from?"_

_Sakura hummed thoughtfully, tapping her chin. She then perked up excitedly, "Is it from the sun?"_

_"That is correct," he nodded. "The sun is necessary to sustain all life on earth, and fire is alive. It needs air to breathe and to grow, just like you and me. This is where the real strength of one's firebending is derived. Through one's breath."_

_"That doesn't make any sense," Sakura frowned._

_"Not yet, it doesn't. That's why before we even start bending, you're going to practice your breathing," he chirped cheerfully, his eye creased in a little half moon Sakura had come to abhor._

_"I think I know how to breathe, sensei, or else I wouldn't be, you know, alive," she grumbled._

_"Is that so? Hm, my cute little student is so wise," Kakashi praised in a mocking tone. "Since you're an expert, let's start off with some breathing exercises."_

_Sakura did as she was told, breathing in and out._

_"No, no, no. Inhale through your nose then exhale through your mouth. Do it slowly. Once you get your breathing right we can move on to bending._ "

But it took nearly four sessions of simply _breathing_ to get to any kind of bending. When they finally did get to the bending, it was manifested into a training exercise of hot potato. Except, there was no potato, just a small flame that they passed back and forth to improve her control over the fire. This went on for several more sessions before they did anything actually worth while but Sakura took it all in stead. His naturally laid back and lazy approach to teaching had grated on her nerves at first, especially since she was so eager to improve.

Yet, he was never excessively confrontational or served her with something she could not handle. The pace of his teaching could be slow and drawn out at times but Sakura learned to adjust to his style of instruction and even came to appreciate it.

This, however, was completely different.

Sakura never feared for her life when training with Kakashi.

"You call that a fighting stance? I could knock you over with a pebble!" Tsunade yelled from across the clearing. She then managed to send a pebble careening through the air to hit Sakura directly in the stomach, which sent her toppling backwards and landing on her butt. To Sakura's defense, it was an _extremely_ powerful pebble.

"You need to stand like an earthbender. Steady and constant as the ground beneath your feet," she emphasized by pounding her feet on the floor in a wide stance.

Sakura scrambled back up and attempted to mimic Tsunade's pose. With two stomps, she sent a moderately sized rock back at the sannin, who in turn, crushed it in a blink of an eye.

"You're pitiful. So this is what the great avatar cycle could come up with? You can pick up rocks and stomp your feet. Big whoop. Looks more like you're throwing a tantrum than earthbending," Tsunade taunted.

"Well she is only five..." Shizune mumbled to Kakashi from the sidelines.

"I was decimating mountains at her age!" Tsunade shouted back, somehow hearing her from where she stood. With renewed vigor, she raised a large slab of rock from the ground then sent it barreling full speed towards Sakura.

Ideally, she realized Tsunade probably wanted her to use earthbending to deflect it. But Sakura, watching a boulder easily the size of her house soaring through the air aimed to land _perfectly where she was standing_ , felt her flight instincts easily overcome her fight ones.

Doing something she's only seen Kakashi do once, Sakura sent huge amounts of fire from her fists to the ground, propelling herself high in the air, narrowly missing the boulder. The large mass of rock landed with a rough skid. She eased the amount of fire erupting from her knuckles to lower herself back down.

"What a joke," Tsunade scoffed, arms crossed over her generous chest. "You run away from Konoha, run away from Anbu, now running away from a fight. What kind of avatar can't stand their ground and fight back?"

Sakura knew she was purposely trying to extract an emotional response from her, to either lower her morale or ignite her will. Gritting her teeth at the taunts, Sakura focused all of her energy on the large mass of rock beside her. With shaking fists, she slowly levitated the boulder from the dirt. Sweat broke out upon her brow from the level of concentration it took to manipulate such a huge piece of earth, while Tsunade had made it appear easy, Sakura could feel herself struggling. With a loud cry, she propelled the boulder back to the sannin with all of her strength.

It was sent at an admirable speed, but before Sakura could begin to congratulate herself on this accomplishment, the gigantic slab of stone was reduced to rubble; small specks of earth floating in the air, heavy and hazy with the dust of a decimated rock.

When the dust began to somewhat clear, Sakura could make out the blonde woman standing with her fist still raised. Not sure if it was due to the dirt clouds distorting her sight or just her wishful thinking, she could dare say that Tsunade looked mildly impressed.

That expression immediately vanished when she felt a tickle in the back of her nose, followed by a series of sneezes that catapulted her a couple of feet in the air. She landed unceremoniously back on the ground, bum first.

Sakura missed the dazed look Tsunade gave Kakashi, who simply shrugged in return. All she heard was a long sigh that preceded a grumbled out "...we're going to have to work on that."

xXx

Since Sasuke was old enough to form his own thoughts, he idolized his older brother and yearned for his father's approval.

Itachi demonstrated his prodigious level of firebending at the age of five when he began to bend with blue flames, which burn much hotter than the standard red-orange flames exhibited by most other firebenders. With his even temper and master control over the element, Itachi was acclaimed to be the most talented bender to come from the Uchiha clan in generations.

It wasn't hard for Sasuke to grow jealous of his older brother, who was the center of constant praise from his father and outsiders alike. Growing up in such a large shadow made Sasuke long for the spotlight.

Despite the feelings of envy he carried, the second son adored his brother dearly; Itachi motivated Sasuke to try harder, train more, and to never give up. The praise he didn't get from his father, he received from his brother (and of course his kind hearted mother). Sasuke's earliest memories revolved around Itachi, playing games around the palace and testing the extent of his abilities with his brother's encouragement.

To his deepest chagrin, the more recent years had been marked with his brother's chronic absence. At just twelve, Itachi was one of the most skilled benders in all the Fire Nation. This reputation was cemented with his climbing role in Anbu, it was even whispered that he'd be promoted to an officer's position in the Army within a year. None of this mattered to Sasuke though, all he knew was that his brother was constantly absent, preoccupied with one responsibility after another, leaving him to chase Itachi from the shadows, yet again.

Following a lesson with his private tutor, Sasuke excitedly scampered down the corridor to the courtyard where his brother promised to meet him. It was rare for Itachi to have time to spend with Sasuke but today was different. Apparently, his duties were fulfilled for the time being, so instead of the standard "next time" he usually told his young brother, it was a promise of an afternoon spent together.

Taking a swift turn that would eventually lead him to the intended courtyard, Sasuke noticed two figures were already present.

He immediately recognized the curly hair of his cousin Shisui speaking to Itachi. Eager to show off the fire whip he had just learned earlier in the week, Sasuke felt his spirits automatically elate at the sight of his brother. Taking a step further, their voices floated in and out for only Sasuke's ears to hear. He could barely make out the words they were saying but he attempted to pick out what he could.

"Orochimaru is breathing down my neck over their escape. I don't think he suspects anything of me yet, I had to give myself a burn to make it look like they overpowered me," Shisui said in a hushed voice.

Escape? Whose? And why would Shisui purposely injure himself?

"They've sent at least four Anbu teams after them so far but there will undoubtedly be more. I'm sure the forces in Kiri and Suna have already been notified," Itachi replied, his own voice quiet and contemplative.

Sasuke wondered who they could be talking about, people important or powerful enough to warrant four Anbu search teams? The Anbu were an elite force of masked soldiers, to justify four teams of them spoke of high caliber subjects.

"Shizune-san should be with them now, which means so is Tsunade-sama. If Anbu do catch up with them, I'm sure they'll be able to handle it."

Itachi hummed in agreement, "We must send a crow to Jiraya-sama to inform him of the new developments, he has been searching the surrounding villages for the Avatar for years."

All of the names sounded vaguely familiar to Sasuke, but none more than the Avatar. His mother told stories of those who filled the legendary role of the Avatar. They were the human embodiment of light and peace, meant to maintain harmony within the realm. But it was common knowledge; the avatar was no more, only exisiting in stories.

"What are you guys talking about?" Sasuke asked, finally stepping out from around the corner. Their heads snapped towards him, wearing matching wide eyed expressions. Or well, as wide eyed as Itachi's usually stoic features could look. Shisui recovered quickly, a grin breaking out on his face.

"Ah, Sasu-chan!" Shisui exclaimed, clapping his hands together in glee. "You're cuter and cuter everytime I see you!" He attempted to reach over and pinch Sasuke's cheeks, which he instinctively rebuffed.

"What were you two talking about?" Sasuke repeated, looking between his brother and cousin.

"Nothing of importance to you, otouto." Itachi replied smoothly, his voice level and face impassive.

"But I heard you," he insists. "You were talking about th-the _Avatar_."

If Sasuke hadn't been paying such close attention he might have missed the look the two of them exchanged before Itachi adopted a placating tone and told him, "You must be mistaken, brother. We were just exchanging an old story. Nothing of true significance."

Sasuke had never doubted his brother until that very moment but, still, pushed it aside. He shook his head to clear thoughts of the conversation he just heard from his mind, he asked Itachi what he was dying to tell him for days, "Okay, then... can I show you what I just learned? It's a fire whip and sensei told me it was really advanced for my age!"

"I apologize, Sasuke. Something has come up that needs my attention," Itachi doesn't even look remorseful, Sasuke thinks bitterly. "Maybe next time," he says, tapping his brother's forehead with two fingers.

Sasuke watches as his brother walks away, his shadow growing longer and thinner in light of the sun hanging high in the sky. He takes a step forward, closer to the shadow but Itachi is already gone. Sasuke is six years old when the admiration for his brother becomes tinged with a sharp, sour note. He knows he'll always love his brother but in this moment he becomes resentful. Yet, unrelenting like the sun from which the Uchiha draw their power, he longs for his father's approval.

With that in mind, Sasuke hurries down the hall, taking sharp lefts and rights until he stood outside the shoji doors of his parent's room. They slide open, as if expecting his arrival.

"Mother! Do you know where father is? There's something I need to tell him, it's important!" Mikoto's youngest son urged, eagerly.

"He's in an important council meeting right now, dear," she said gently, a tad concerned by her child's disheveled appearance. "What is it, Sasu-chan? You can tell me," she lets him into the room, sliding the doors shut. With that, Sasuke begins his tale. As he recounted to her about what he heard, Mikoto listened with a blank face. She looked down at her son, her fine features inscrutable, not a single emotion crossed her face to betray the way she was feeling. With a slow nod of her head, she took her young son's hand in hers.

"Sasuke-chan, you know there's no such thing as the Avatar anymore. That was from a time in the past, they were talking about an old story that happened years and years ago," Mikoto said soothingly, a warm smile on her lips, elegant fingers combing through Sasuke's hair with a tender touch. A mother's touch.

Sasuke had a put out look on his face, no doubt crestfallen for his previous suspicions. Mikoto knew how much Sasuke adored his older brother, but even sweet Sasuke would have jumped at the opportunity to gain his father's attention, even at the expense of his brother. She hoped to herself that this small rivalary between brothers died here.

"But mother, it sounded so, so... _real_." He gazed at his mother imploringly, shining dark eyes so much like her own piercing her with their desperation.

"You know your silly cousin Shisui, sometimes boys his age take jokes too far," Mikoto replied with a grin, tickling his stomach to emphasize a point.

Sasuke erupted in giggles, half-heartedly swatting her hands away. "I guess you're right," he said, in between his laughter.

"Of course I am! Mother knows best, you know," she joked. "What is this I hear about you learning the fire whip? Your sensei said you've nearly perfected it!"

Sasuke's face lights up and he begins to prattle on about his training and what he's learned, Mikoto listening and smiling with genuine interest. She's going to have to have a discussion with Itachi and Shisui, they can't be having talks like that out in the open, where anyone can hear them. They were lucky it was just Sasuke that overheard them but who knows who else could have listened in?

It was _sloppy_ and sloppy gets people killed. Agents of the resistance caught because they couldn't keep their mouths shut and learn what a secure post for an information exchange looks like? It was amateur, and Uchiha Mikoto did not train them to be amateurs. The makings of a revolution were brewing but the groundwork must be laid, every step now was critical for their success and Mikoto will be damned before she lets her hardwork, her _sacrifice_ , go to waste. Everyone should know that even the resistance thrived under a mother's touch.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! Sorry for the delay, this took a bit longer than I'd like to admit. Hope this is forming some semblance of plot, certain things will become clearer as the story progresses :) how do you guys like Mikoto? I saw this headcanon where she gains her mangekyou through Kushina's death and became an integral part in planning of the coup bc of how Konoha dealt with it all and that kind of inspired me to give her a huge role in the resistance.   
> Thank you for reading! Let me know what you think :)


End file.
